


Like It's The Only Thing I'll Ever Do

by cherrylarry



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, POV Alternating, POV Multiple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:27:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21725992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherrylarry/pseuds/cherrylarry
Summary: "Wait," Liam stops. "Harry is proposing to Louis on the same day Louis is proposing to Harry?""Yes! Isn't that exciting?" Lottie yells. "So! I want you to make sure their plans stay the same and they propose on the same day, at the same time. It would be so romantic, don't you think?"
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 8
Kudos: 91
Collections: 28 Proposals Fic Fest





	Like It's The Only Thing I'll Ever Do

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Welcome to my fic. I want to say thank you to my cheerleaders and betas for being the greatest. Thank you to Lauren for running this fest. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

**October - Louis**

Halloween decorations have taken over the shopping center. Louis and Liam walk through the center court to check out yet another jewelry shop. It will be the fourth store they’ve been to within two hours and nothing has caught Louis’ eye as the perfect engagement ring.

“It can’t be anything less than perfect, Liam,” Louis said after they were walking out of the second store. “Harry is perfect, therefore, his ring has to be perfect.”

Now, as they make their way to the fourth and final store at this particular shopping center, Louis thinks that this one could be where he finds the ring. He doesn’t say it out loud for fear of jinxing it, but it’s there in the back of his mind. 

When they arrive at the jewelry store and walk in, the sales associate is on them right away. “Hello, what can I help you find today?” she says in an overly cheery tone, offering a wide smile. Louis sees that her name tag says Tiffany.

“I’m looking for an engagement ring,” Louis tells Tiffany with a polite smile, already looking at the display cases filled with diamond necklaces, tennis bracelets, and the like.

“Ooh, how exciting! What’s her name?” 

Louis internally groans, having already dealt with this three times today. He smiles not unkindly and corrects her. “His name is Harry. We’ve been together for four years. Five in December, actually, which is when I’m planning on proposing.”

Tiffany turns red in the face, eyes wide as she realizes her mistake. “Oh. My apologies. He sounds absolutely lovely. I’ll let you look around, and I’ll be right over here if you need anything.” 

Louis thanks her and keeps looking. During the exchange with Louis and Tiffany, Liam had wandered over to the watches on the opposite side of the store and is decidedly not looking at the rings.

“Oi, Liam if you’re not going to be my moral support by helping me find a ring, you can go and I’ll drag Zayn with me tomorrow,” Louis says. Liam quickly puts the watch back and scurries over to Louis.

They look for twenty minutes at all the rings before Louis calls it quits. He makes sure to thank Tiffany before they both walk out of the store empty-handed. 

Louis groans in frustration. “I’m never going to find a damn ring.”

“Not with that attitude, you’re not. Come on, Lou. We’ve only been to four shops so far. There’s other places to look. Besides, you’re not planning on popping the question until December, so you have plenty of time to look,” Liam reasonably points out. 

Louis rolls his eyes despite knowing that Liam is absolutely right. “I’m not saying you’re right, but fine. We’ll stop looking for now, I reckon. Seeing the price tags on those rings is going to give me nightmares.”

**October - Harry**

“Hey, Lottie, how have you been doing?” Harry asks into the phone. He’s sitting at the kitchen table fidgeting with his fingers. He’s not sure why he’s so nervous, since he knows she will say yes, but he’s still nervous.

“Oh, you know,” Lottie replies. “Same old, same old. What about you? What’s up?”

“Um, I have a question to ask you,” Harry starts. He takes a breath.

“Okay. Shoot.”

“I want to ask for your blessing to marry Louis.” 

"You're asking my permission? Harry. Of course you have my blessing! Yes!" Lottie exclaims.

Harry grins widely. "Okay. Okay, I'm doing this then. We're going to get married. Oh my god. I'm getting married." 

"Yes, you are! Well, I mean, first, you have to ask, but I'm one hundred percent sure you’re getting married. When are you planning on asking him?" Lottie asks.

"I'm thinking our fifth anniversary in December. It's a milestone, and it would be so pretty in the snow, don't you think?"

Harry can hear Lottie giggle before she tries to cover it up. "Yes! That sounds absolutely perfect. I'm so happy for you, Harry. I've got to go, though. Thank you for calling, honestly, it means a lot. You’re so sweet to ask my permission. Did you ever think I wouldn't say yes?"

"No, I never thought that you would say no. I just love the gesture, you know? Well, uh, anyway. I'll talk to you later, Lotts?"

"Absolutely. Talk to you later," Lottie replies and hangs up.

Harry holds his breath for a few seconds before letting it out again.

There, he got Lottie's blessing like he knew he was going to. It still didn't make it any less nerve-wracking.

When Louis told him he was going shopping with Liam today, Harry knew it was his chance to call Lottie. It was perfect, really. Now he just needs to find a ring before December. That shouldn't be too hard, Harry thinks. 

Right?

**October - Lottie**

Lottie gets off the phone with Harry and squeals, shaking her legs all over the place. She immediately makes another call.

"Liam! Please tell me you are not with my brother." 

"But I am with him," Liam replies, obviously confused.

Lottie groans. "Alright, just call me when you're not with him, please. I need to tell you something and he can't know. It's nothing bad. It's very, very good actually. Just call me, okay?"

"Sure, I can do that." He still sounds confused.

"Great!” 

Liam hangs up, and Lottie feels like she needs to tell someone about this. Her brother’s boyfriend called her to ask for her blessing to marry him. Louis told Lottie just last week that he was going to propose to Harry. And to top it all off, they’re planning to do it on the same day. She can’t just be expected to keep that to herself. She has to find a way for them to do it at the exact same moment and have it filmed, so that’s why she called Liam, Louis’ best friend.

It's a couple hours later when Liam finally calls her back. 

"What's up, Lotts? What is it that you didn't want Lou to know?" Liam asks in greeting when Lottie answers the phone.

"Okay, so. Harry called me earlier and told me that he was going to propose to Louis, right. He was super sweet and asked for my blessing which, duh, of course he has my blessing. They've been together for almost five years! So, I obviously said yes and then. _And then_ he told me he was planning on asking Louis on their fifth anniversary. The same day Louis is planning on asking Harry." Lottie stops to breathe and finally give Liam a chance to reply.

"Wait. Harry is proposing to Louis on the same day Louis is proposing to Harry?"

"Yes! Isn't that exciting?" Lottie yells. "So! I want you to make sure their plans stay the same and they propose on the same day, at the same time. It would be so romantic, don't you think?" 

"Yeah? Yeah, it would be. But how am I supposed to make sure they do it at the same time? I'm not even supposed to know Harry is proposing yet!"

"Well, how am I supposed to know how to do that? Just figure something out and record it so I can see it! Mwah, thanks Liam you're the bestest. Toodles!" 

And Lottie hangs up.

**October - Liam**

"Niall. What am I supposed to do to make Louis and Harry propose at the same time? I'm not a wizard. I can't compel them with my powers or whatever," Liam rants to Niall a couple days later. They're at the coffee shop Niall works at, spending time on Niall's lunch break.

"Leave it to me, Payno. I've got an idea. All we gotta do is have them make a reservation for the same restaurant, see. And then, because we are awesome friends, and they're both going to be eaten up by nerves, I'll offer to make a reservation for Harry and you offer to make a reservation for Louis. That way, when they go up to the hostess and say their name it'll be like, Tomlinson-Styles, right, so it'll be great. And then we can just be in the corner waiting for the right moment with our phones at the ready to hit record on the video, we post it to social media, the video goes viral, and then boom! They get married," Niall finishes, shrugging. "Simple."

“Okay,” Liam says slowly. “I was leery about this at first. But that might actually work.”

“Of course it’s gonna work, Payno. Have I ever steered you wrong?”

“Well--” 

“Wait, don’t answer that.” 

Liam laughs and takes a sip of his tea. “So when do you think Harry is going to drag _you_ ring shopping? Louis has been relentless. We went to four stores in one afternoon the other day.” Liam shakes his head. “I love the lad, but there’s only so much ring shopping I can take. He thinks it needs to be perfect, and I get that, I do. But Jesus Christ, for someone who doesn’t like shopping, he’s awfully keen on going to every single shop to find what he’s looking for.”

“What makes you think Harry’s going to take me ring shopping? Why not Shawn, or even you, really?” Niall says, incredulous.

“Oh, please. You’ve been his best friend in the whole world since the fifth grade. You know you’re going to have to do it,” Liam rolls his eyes and downs the rest of his drink. “And anyway, shouldn’t you get back to work? I just remembered I agreed to meet Lou at another shopping center today.” Liam starts gathering his things.

“Yeah, you’re right. There’s no getting out of it, if I know Harry. He’s going to guilt me into it if I say no,” Niall sighs. He stands up as well, taking his and Liam’s trash to the trash can. They say their goodbyes and go their separate ways until next time.

**November - Harry**

"Thank you so much for your help, Tiffany. Have a good day." Harry waves and walks out of the jewelry shop empty-handed with Niall by his side. There was nothing in the store that screamed _Louis_. It was a bit disappointing, to be honest. But it's part of the process, he supposes.

"So Haz, are we gonna eat now?" Niall asks. "I'm starving."

"Yes, fine, we can eat," Harry appeases.

They go to the food court and eat some lunch, and when they're done, they visit yet another jewelry store. 

“Do you know what you’re looking for in this engagement ring, or are you waiting for something to just jump out at you?” Niall asks while they walk to the shop.

“Nope, not a clue. I just hope it looks like Louis, you know? It’s got to be perfect.” Harry shrugs and runs his hand through his hair. He just got a trim recently and he’s still not used to how short it is now.

“Don’t worry Haz,” Niall says, putting a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “You are going to find a ring, and any ring you find, Louis will love it because it came from _you._ He loves you, Harry.”

Harry grins and looks over at Niall. “I know. Thanks, Niall. Now let’s go find an engagement ring so I can get married to the love of my life!” Harry yells and pumps his fist in the air like a dork. 

They arrive at the next jewelry shop and go straight to the display case of rings. The price tags on these ones make Harry want to run out and not come back, but he's too polite to do that.

"Jesus, look at how much these are," Niall whispers to him and Harry elbows him to shut up. "Ouch," Niall pouts, rubbing at his side. "Rude."

"Don't say that so loud, Niall," Harry aggressively whispers back.

"It wasn't even that loud-"

"Can I help you with anything, gentlemen?" The sales associate speaks up from his place behind the display cases.

"Oh, no. We're just looking, thanks." Harry smiles politely and keeps on looking for a minute more, Niall walking beside him and keeping his mouth shut so he doesn't get yelled at by Harry again.

They end up walking out empty handed once more, which Harry's wallet is grateful for. 

**November - Louis**

Louis hears the front door open from where he is in the bedroom, laying spread out like a starfish in the middle of the bed.

"Lou, love? I'm home!" Harry calls out. Louis can hear the clanging of his keys hitting the side table by the door as Harry sets them down. He hears the rustle of Harry hanging his coat on the coat hanger by the door and the soft padding of his socked feet walking down the hallway. 

"Louis?" 

"In here." 

"What are you doing in the dark? Are you alright, baby?" Harry turns on the light and sits on the edge of the bed next to Louis.

“Just doing some self reflection on why I accepted the manager promotion,” Louis sighs. He sits up so Harry can situate himself all the way on the bed, resting his back against the headboard. Louis rests his head on Harry’s shoulder, “I had to fire someone today.”

“Oh, babe. I’m sor-”

“And some kid stole some shoes,” Louis interrupts miserably. “Oh, not to mention that it’s the busiest time of the year, and the one pair of shoes everyone wants, we don’t have, even though it’s in our sale ad.”

"What do you need me to do for you?" Harry asks softly, and that's it right there. That is why Louis loves him so much and why he wants to marry the fuck out of this man, because it's the way he takes care of Louis. The way that he will do anything that Louis needs from him whether it be a hot, relaxing bath, or just cuddles, Harry is right there for him. 

Louis closes his eyes when he feels his emotions are about to take over and whispers, "Just be here with me. As long as you're here, everything will be okay."

Harry kisses the top of Louis' head and puts his arm around his shoulders, cuddling closer. "Whatever you need, baby. Whatever you need."

"Actually,” Louis considers, “I wouldn't mind a massage.” He lifts his head up to look at Harry and wiggles his eyebrows in a silly manner.

Harry chuckles and gets into the proper position to give a massage with Louis laying shirtless on his stomach.He starts by just rubbing his hands gently around the back of Louis’ neck and works his way down to his shoulder blades adding pressure the lower he goes. Little grunts and moans fall from Louis’ lips but they both know that it won’t lead to anything. At least not right now. 

Louis is almost falling asleep when Harry stops his ministrations. 

“Lou?" Harry asks gently when Louis grunts after Harry stops rubbing him. "Sorry babe, just getting a bit hungry." 

“Mmh alright, let’s get you something to eat,” Louis says and at that moment his stomach growls. Louis sits up and looks at Harry and they both start laughing. “I guess I’m hungry, too.”

**December - Liam**

"Yes, I'd like to make a reservation for two under the name Tomlinson-Styles please," Liam says into the phone. Niall's plan of getting Harry and Louis to let them make a reservation at the restaurant is in full-swing. Niall is calling it Operation Simultaneous Larry Proposal. Liam isn't calling it anything.

"Okay, Tomlinson-Styles for two. At what time and what day?" The hostess asks.

"Next Thursday at seven in the evening."

"Alright. So I have Thursday the 19th at seven, under the name Tomlinson-Styles. Is that correct?"

"Yes, that is correct," Liam confirms, then pauses. "And could I also have a table for two under the name Niam? Same day, same time, at a table near there? But not too close! There’s a proposal planned and we don’t want to be spotted and ruin this for them. It’s been five years in the making." 

"Sure thing, sir," the hostess says, pretty much ignoring the over-share. Liam can hear the faint scratch of pen on paper as she puts it down in her reservation book.

"Thank you so much. Have a good day." 

"Yes, you too, sir. Thank you." The hostess hangs up the phone and Liam smiles to himself. It’s so exciting; helping his best friends get engaged.

He shoots a text to Niall. _Reservation made. Got 1 for us 2 at a table close to them._

A minute later, Niall replies. _They aren’t going to see us riight?? That would be super sus_

 _Nah dont worry I told the hostess not 2 close it should be fine 👍_

_Okay good. Operation Simultaneous Larry Proposal is a go. #OSLP_

_Why do I put up with you?_

_Because I'm the one who came up with this idea and you couldn't have done it without me._

Liam doesn't justify that with a response.

**December - Harry**

It's happening in three days. Harry is proposing to Louis in three days and he is freaking out. It isn't because Louis is going to say no. They've talked about marriage a bunch of times and he knows this is what they both want. They want to get married and have kids and a white picket fence. 

He knows this.

It just doesn't change the fact that he is freaking the fuck out. 

"Harry, bro, are you alright?" Shawn asks.

"Huh?" Harry lifts his head up from where he was staring at a blank piece of paper. "Yeah, why?"

"Because you were staring at a sheet of paper with a pencil in your hand, and I haven't seen you move in the last five minutes," Shawn explains, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh!" Harry waves a dismissive hand and gestures for Shawn to come closer. "I'm just nervous because I'm proposing to Louis in three days and I'm freaking out."

Shawn gasps loudly. "Aww!!" 

"Shh! I don't want to tell anyone yet. What if he says no?" Harry shushes.

"Oh, come on. You don't really think Louis would say no to marrying you, do you?" 

"No, I don't think he'll say no," Harry admits. "But the thought is in the back of my head and it won't go away." He sighs and pushes the rolling chair he's sitting in away from his desk.

Shawn pats his shoulder. "Look at me." Harry looks up. "Repeat after me. Louis will say yes."

"Louis will say yes," Harry repeats. "Louis will say yes." A smile grows on his face, his left dimple making an appearance. "Thanks, Shawn."

"Hey, what are friends for? Listen, I gotta go but let me know what happens, alright?" Shawn finger guns and turns to walk away.

Harry keeps repeating the phrase in his head for the rest of the day to stop himself from freaking out again. 

Three days to go.

**December - Louis**

Tomorrow is the day. Tomorrow is the day that Louis is going to propose to Harry and he is freaking the fuck out. It's so bad that Harry has picked up on it. That's the thing about being in a long-term, established relationship; your significant other knows you inside and out and knows all your nervous ticks. 

It goes both ways, though. Louis has noticed that something has been bothering Harry, but Harry won't tell him what's wrong. Louis has chalked it up to it being a very important day coming up and that's it. 

They have it all planned already. First, when they wake up, Louis is going to wake Harry up with a morning "Happy Anniversary blow job." (Okay, that part Louis hasn't shared because it's a surprise.) After that, he's going to talk Harry into making breakfast because it is widely known that Louis is hopeless in the kitchen. 

In the afternoon, they plan to go ice skating and hopefully it doesn't end up like the last time they went on one of their first dates. 

**December - five years ago - Louis**

Louis might be in love. He can't be because this is only the fourth date, but it's possible. 

He met Harry at Liam's birthday party. Liam had invited his friend Niall and Niall brought Harry with him. At first, Louis thought that Niall and Harry were dating, just because of how close they were, but Niall quickly set him straight and told him that he was taken, but definitely not by Harry. Which meant that Harry was single. 

So then Louis started flirting. Harry was just his type, cute (the dimples!), funny, and a bit quirky in his own way. And clumsy. Harry was very clumsy. Louis had lost count of how many times the boy had tripped over his own feet even before he got any alcohol in his system.

It had taken from Liam's party at the end of August to November when Harry had finally realized that his crush on Louis was not one sided after all. (Maybe he's a bit oblivious too.)

So then, on their fourth date, Louis had taken them ice skating, which was proving to be a very bad idea only an hour in. Harry had already fallen on his bum probably about 20 times.

Despite how much he had fallen though, Harry never gave up, and when he saw a couple doing an honest-to-goodness figure skating stunt, he got this bright look on his face and immediately took Louis tighter by the hand towards the middle of the rink.

"We can do that!" He said so enthusiastically and hopeful that Louis would agree, that Louis had no choice but to do it. He couldn't resist those beautiful green eyes looking at him like that. 

In hindsight, Louis should have seen what happened next coming.

Unsteady on his skates, Harry held tight onto Louis' hand as he started spinning and twirling. It was fine at first, they were doing well, spinning around together in the middle of the outdoor ice rink. And then they attempted to do the stunt.

Harry let go of one of Louis' hands and tried to twirl him with one hand. The first twirl was okay, the second was better, but the third.

On the third twirl, Harry's hand slipped and they both were falling, almost in slow motion. Louis felt a sharp pain go through his ankle as he landed. Looking over, he saw Harry was cradling his left arm.

In the end, Louis hadn't broken his ankle, just sprained it, and Harry had broken his arm. They never went ice skating after that momentous accident.

**December - present day - Louis**

So, Louis and Harry are going ice skating tomorrow for the first time in five years. Then, they're going to dinner where Liam made the reservation for them, like the best, most supportive friend in the world (no matter what Niall says). He hasn't quite decided if he wants to propose at the restaurant, or just wait until they're in the privacy of their own home, as to not pressure Harry into saying yes in a public place.

Louis is on his way home from managing the shoe store at one of the local shopping centers. The streets are crowded with people and cars getting all their Christmas shopping done. Which reminds him that he still needs to get something for Anne, his future mother-in-law. Oh, well. That can wait another day or two. He has other things on his mind. He is so glad he took the rest of the week off. He really needs a break from the crazy customers. Louis doesn’t hate his job per se, it’s just now that he is a manager, it puts a lot more stress on him than ever before when he was just a supervisor.

Walking into his and Harry’s apartment, Louis spots Harry on the couch reading his book with the television off and the lamp on the side table giving off a warm glow to the room. Harry has his reading glasses perched on his nose and when he looks over to the door where Louis is still standing, he has to push them back up from where they have slid down his nose.Harry smiles what everyone calls his Louis smile, the smile he only gives Louis and that’s it right there. He wants to come home to that smile for the rest of his life and - _Fuck it._

He’s going to do it now. He can’t wait any longer.

He waves at Harry, walks quickly down the hall to their bedroom, and finds the ring box in its secure hiding spot. He cracks the lid open just to make sure the ring is there and takes a shaky breath. He’s doing this now. He smiles to himself before he heads back into the living room. 

Harry’s not sitting on the couch anymore, he’s taken his glasses off and has them sitting on the end table on top of his book when Louis comes back out. Harry’s not sitting on the couch because he’s on one knee.

Louis stops in his tracks. “Darling? What are you doing?”

“Come over here and find out,” Harry says. Louis slowly walks over to Harry with the hand holding the ring box behind his back. Louis gasps when he sees what is between Harry’s fingers. A ring.

“Harry, are you-”

“Shh. Please hold all comments and questions until after my speech.”

“But Harry-” Louis brings his hand around to show Harry what is in his own hand and that shuts him up. “Yes,” Louis whispers, kneeling down with Harry and they have matching tear-filled eyes. With shaky hands, Louis takes the ring from its cushioned bed and holds it out to Harry. “So, is that a yes from you?”

Harry throws himself at Louis and kisses him forcefully, knocking Louis down to the floor laying on his back. “Yes! Of course it’s a yes, Louis. Oh my god, I love you so fucking much,” Harry mumbles between kisses.

Louis pulls away just for a minute. “Slow your roll there, Styles. Let’s get these rings on our fingers before we lose them, and _then_ we can have just-got-engaged sex,” he suggests and Harry agrees, holding out his left hand so that Louis can slide the ring on and he does the same for Louis.

They move things to the bedroom pretty quickly after that, They make love to each other just like they did when they exchanged those three little words for the first time, just like they did when they were breaking in their brand new apartment. And they make love now as they make these promises they intend to keep for the rest of their lives.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you liked it, don't forget to leave kudos and tell me what you liked in a comment! You can reblog the fic post [here](https://beelou.tumblr.com/post/189976382443s%22) !


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